The Ministry of Urban and Rural Development is hosting a two-day national stakeholder validation workshop on the proposed amendments to the Local Authorities Act, 1992 (Act No. 23 of 1992).

The amendments will enhance effective and unified management and governance at both local and central government levels.

The draft bill considers the amendments to sections 2 and 3 of the act to rename village councils to towns and to allow the Minister to create different categories of local governance, including a capital city, municipalities, and towns, parts one and two. With this also comes the renaming of chairpersons and councils.

The other is the amendment of Section 11 to address currently experienced shortcomings, such as the refusal or failure to be nominated in certain positions as an office bearer at the annual elections of office bearers.

Section 77 is another consideration to be amended to empower the Minister to provide guidelines on the directives for the use of the five percent contribution and consultative processes between regional councils and local authorities on the applications of funds for agreed projects in favor of communities.

The amendment also includes a proposal to prevent foreign nationals from owning or acquiring residential land in designated low-income suburbs within local authority areas and to also empower the Minister to demand from local authorities the reservation of immovable properties in favour of the state and to have them transferred to the name of the state for national and public interest for free.